Hingis made to sweat but wait proved worthwhile

Jamie Murray made Martina Hingis sweat over her request to play together in the Wimbledon mixed doubles but their partnership paid off as they beat Heather Watson and Henri Kontinen to win the title.

Murray and Hingis beat defending champions Watson and Kontinen 6-4 6-4 as Murray sealed his second grand slam title in mixed doubles, 10 years after winning his first here with Jelena Jankovic.

Hingis texted Murray before the start of the tournament to ask him to be her partner at SW19 and the Swiss admits she was made to wait for an answer.

“It was just like, ‘Hi Jamie, want to play with me?’ Just got to keep it simple. I think that’s what matters,” Hingis said.

“He left me hanging overnight. I was like, ‘Oh my God, did he read it? Did he not?’ It worked out, definitely.”

It is 20 years since Hingis edged past Jana Novotna to win her first Wimbledon title on Centre Court and the 36-year-old now has six major mixed doubles triumphs to add to her 12 in women’s doubles and five in singles.

Murray had also been trying to win his third major title in men’s doubles at Wimbledon alongside Bruno Soares and the Scot said he would have said no to any other mixed doubles partner.

“The men’s doubles for me is obviously my biggest goal of the year,” Murray said. “It’s going to take something pretty special to potentially take my eye off the ball with it.”

Hingis added, with a smile: “I’m not used to ‘no’. I don’t take ‘no’ as an answer pretty much. But I would understand especially here, it’s always tough.”

Murray and Hingis share the winners’ cheque of £100,000 while Watson and Kontinen split the £50,000 runners-up prize.

For Murray’s compatriot Watson, meanwhile, this was another strong run with Finland’s Kontinen, backing up her progress to the third round of the singles last week.

Picture: Getty. Mixed doubles champions Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis with their trophies.